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Overseas Notes: Yakupov, Kovar, Erixon, Garteig

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Former No. 1 overall pick Nail Yakupov won’t be joining any of the most recent draft class in the NHL next season. The bust of a former top prospect enjoyed his best season as a pro in the KHL last season and has decided not to press his luck. SKA St. Petersburg has announced a new three-year extension with Yakupov, keeping the 25-year-old in the KHL until 2022 at the earliest. Yakupov finally decided to move on from the NHL last summer and returned to home to Russia to ink a one-year “show me” deal with SKA. He did just that, recording 33 points in just 47 games and another eight points in the postseason for one of the KHL’s top clubs. Now, he has likely either decided to stay in Russia for the remainder of his career or that his best odds of being an impact player in the NHL down the road are to continue developing overseas. Either way, we won’t be seeing Yakupov in North America anytime soon. The top pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2012 from the OHL’s Sarnia Sting, Yakupov played three underwhelming seasons with the Oilers and last suited up in the NHL in 2017-18, a season split between the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. Moving forward, he’ll suit up alongside Jori Lehtera, Sergei Plotnikov, Viktor Tikhonov, and recently drafted goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov in St. Petersburg.

  • Similarly, Jan Kovar is not messing around with an NHL return after a 2018-19 season that did not go as expected. The veteran Czech forward signed a one-year, $2MM contract with the New York Islanders last summer, but that contract was terminated before the regular season even began, once it became clear that Kovar would not crack the opening night roster. Yet, he still wound up in the AHL, playing for the Providence Bruins for two months in hopes of earning a contract with Boston. When that also failed to materialize, Kovar finally returned to Europe, signing with HC Plzen of his native Czech league. Rather than stay in the Czech Republic, return to North America, or even go back to the KHL, where he had spent the previous five seasons and found much success, Kovar has instead decided to try his hand at playing in the Swiss NLA. EV Zug, an NLA finalist last season, have announced a one-year contract with Kovar. The team is excited about the addition and expect Kovar to be a key piece for them next season. The contract does have a temporary NHL exit clause, but it expires on Tuesday and there has been no talk of any NHL interest in Kovar. It’s safe to assume that he’ll be joining Carl Klingberg, Raphael Diaz, and company next season.
  • Give Tim Erixon credit. The 2009 first-round pick out of Skelleftea in Sweden has not played in the NHL since 2015, but has remained in North America, grinding it out for another opportunity in the AHL. However, it’s finally become time to return home. The SHL’s Vaxjo Lakers have announced a two-year contract with Erixon and plan to use him in a major role, unlike the minor league depth capacity that he has filled for several years. A veteran of 93 NHL games 331 AHL games with six different organizations, Erixon is an experienced defenseman who also became a leader and mentor at the minor league level. He heads back to Sweden as a respected and capable veteran player who should be a difference-maker for the Lakers. Vaxjo continues a strong off-season, now adding Erixon to a list of additions that also includes Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Marcus Davidsson, Emil Pettersson, and Matt Bodie.
  • Fresh off of a Kelly Cup championship with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers, goaltender Michael Garteig has decided to take his talents to Finland. The 27-year-old keeper has signed a one-year deal with Tappara, the Liiga club announced. Garteig was a former standout at Quinnipiac University and was briefly a prospect of the Vancouver Canucks. However, he has played the past two seasons on a minor league contract and altogether has only seen ten total games in the AHL in three pro seasons. Yet, Garteig was stellar for the Growlers last season, especially in the playoffs, where he posted a .928 save percentage and 2.19 goals against average. Tappara hopes those numbers translate to the Liiga, as the team seeks a replacement for former NHL veteran Niklas Backstrom in their tandem with young Christian Heljanko. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Wouter Peeters also hopes to push for some starts next season.

Free Agent Focus: Colorado Avalanche

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Free agency is now less than two weeks away from opening up and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  Colorado has one of the top restricted free agents in need of a new deal plus quite a few other regulars that have to sign new contracts.  Here’s a closer look at their free agent situation.

Key Restricted Free Agents: F Mikko Rantanen – Let’s get the obvious one out of the way quickly.  Not only is Rantanen Colorado’s top restricted free agents in need of a new deal, he is one of the top RFAs available around the league.  After a breakout season in 2017-18, the 22-year-old was even better this past season and was an integral part of one of the most dangerous number one lines in the league.  He has two straight years of high-end production under his belt.  He was dominant in the 2019 postseason.  He’s going to get paid even though he doesn’t have salary arbitration rights.  Rantanen’s next contract will drastically chance Colorado’s salary structure as he’ll check in considerably higher than Nathan MacKinnon and could have a case to push for upwards of a $10MM AAV this offseason.

F Alexander Kerfoot – The 24-year-old has put up two nearly identical seasons (43 and 42 points) since signing with Colorado back in August of 2017 after opting for free agency instead of signing with New Jersey.  He’s not a fixture on the top line for the Avalanche and probably won’t be down the road but he has already become an important part of their secondary core.  He has arbitration rights and that type of offensive consistency will help his case should it get to a hearing.

D Nikita Zadorov – The 23-year-old has been someone that has been in plenty of trade speculation over recent years but his combination of size and skill has made it difficult so far for the Avs to part with him.  He took a bit of a step back in 2018-19 which likely complicates their plans that much more.  When he’s on, he can be a capable piece on the second pairing but he wound up playing a lesser role than that last year.  His name will probably be up in trade speculation once again while he pushes for a raise on the $2.2MM he made this past season.

Other RFAs: F Sven Andrighetto, D Sergei Boikov, F J.T. Compher, F Sheldon Dries, D Mason Geertsen, D Ryan Graves, F A.J. Greer, F Vladislav Kamenev, D Anton Lindholm, G Spencer Martin, F Julien Nantel, F Dominic Toninato

Key Unrestricted Free Agents: G Semyon Varlamov – Varlamov was Colorado’s starter for a good chunk of the regular season but was on the bench when it mattered most in the postseason.  With Philipp Grubauer still in the fold for two more seasons, it’s clear that Varlamov will be heading elsewhere.  However, without many opportunities for a starting job, it will be interesting to see what he winds up getting.  Does he take a spot with a team where he could push to be the higher half of a platoon and be content with that for a few years?  Does he take a one-year in the hopes of getting something bigger next summer?  Either way, he’s looking at a pay cut from the $5.9MM AAV he’s had over the past five seasons.

F Derick Brassard – Some players do well in contract years.  Brassard was one who didn’t.  He never did fit in with Pittsburgh, even after a full training camp with them.  He was okay in Florida but that was only a short-term landing spot before he was ultimately flipped to Colorado where he once again struggled.  He’s going to have a hard time selling himself as a top-six player after getting just 23 points in 2018-19.  A short-term contract seems to be a probable outcome for him as he hopes to restore some value.

F Colin Wilson – The 29-year-old has never really lived up to his first-round draft billing but he has nonetheless been an effective middle-six forward.  Unfortunately, his production has eroded the last couple of seasons so he’s not hitting the open market at the ideal time.  Still, as someone that can play center a pinch and hold down a spot on a third line, he should have a fair bit of interest in free agency but he will also be looking at a drop from his $4MM salary over the past three seasons.

Other UFAs: F Andrew Agozzino, F Gabriel Bourque, F Max McCormick, D Patrik Nemeth, F Scott Kosmachuk, D David Warsofsky

Projected Cap Space: While their RFAs won’t be cheap, the Avalanche enter the offseason with over $35MM in cap room, per CapFriendly.  That means that they will have plenty of room to work with if they decide to spend on the open market or add an impact player via trade this summer.  GM Joe Sakic has said he intends to be aggressive this offseason and he has lots of cap space to use to his advantage.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NHL Sets Salary Cap at $81.5MM for 2019-20

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The NHL and NHLPA have made it official, as TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the NHL salary cap for 2019-20 will be $81.5MM, as many had recently projected with the salary floor being set at $60.2MM.

That isn’t good news for teams that are at or near the cap as many teams had hoped that the cap might be closer to $83MM like it was projected several weeks ago. However, recently rumors had been rumbling that the number would be closer to $82MM and potentially as low as $81.5MM, which is what it ended up being, which is a worst-case scenario for teams hoping for that extra space to maneuver.

That could prompt more teams that need to open up cap space to make cost-cutting moves. The league has seen some of that already today with the Nashville Predators unloading the $9MM contract of defenseman P.K. Subban in order to free up space to extend defenseman Roman Josi and potentially sign a free-agent center such as Matt Duchene in the coming week. The Toronto Maple Leafs sent a future first-rounder to Carolina also today in order to unload the final year of Patrick Marleau and his $6.25MM contract. The Tampa Bay Lightning also unloaded J.T. Miller’s $5.25MM contract that still has four more years on it for a future first-rounder as well. Other teams that are in trouble and could be making similar cap-saving moves include the Vegas Golden Knights, San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

The announcement, however, could be big news for teams with plenty of cap space to sell. The Devils acquired a top-four defenseman for a very little return, while Vancouver added a top-six forward in Miller. There are six teams underneath the ceiling of $60.2MM, including the Philadelphia Flyers, Winnipeg Jets, New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and the Colorado Avalanche. Several of those team have significant free agents to sign, however, including Winnipeg, Philadelphia and Colorado, but there are many teams that could take advantage, now more than ever, of some of the teams who have already capped themselves out. In fact, Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was thrilled at the cap number.

“It doesn’t affect us. I like it,” Kekalainen said (via NHL.com’s Dan Rosen). “It’s going to squeeze some teams some more. … They’re going to have to solve their problems and maybe we can be a solution.”

2019 NHL Entry Draft Results

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The day has arrived. Friday night kicks off the 2019 NHL Entry Draft with the first round, as the first 31 prospects will hear their names called. Saturday afternoon will bring the remaining six rounds and another 186 NHL hopefuls. This is considered an above average draft class, with strong prospects available well into day two. Below are the picks for the ongoing or completed rounds, with updated selections:

Round One

  1. New Jersey Devils – F Jack Hughes, USNTDP (USHL)
  2. New York Rangers – F Kaapo Kakko, TPS (Liiga)
  3. Chicago Blackhawks – F Kirby Dach, Saskatoon (WHL)
  4. Colorado Avalanche (from OTT) – D Bowen Byram, Vancouver (WHL)
  5. Los Angeles Kings – F Alex Turcotte, USNTDP (USHL)
  6. Detroit Red Wings – D Moritz Seider, Mannheim (DEL)
  7. Buffalo Sabres – F Dylan Cozens, Lethbridge (WHL)
  8. Edmonton Oilers – D Philip Broberg, AIK (Allsvenskan)
  9. Anaheim Ducks – F Trevor Zegras, USNTDP (USHL)
  10. Vancouver Canucks – F Vasily Podkolzin, St. Petersburg (KHL)
  11. Arizona Coyotes (from PHI) – D Victor Soderstrom, Brynas (SHL)
  12. Minnesota Wild – F Matthew Boldy, USNTDP (USHL)
  13. Florida Panthers – G Spencer Knight, USNTDP (USHL)
  14. Philadelphia Flyers (from ARI) – D Cam York, USNTDP (USHL)
  15. Montreal Canadiens – F Cole Caufield, USNTDP (USHL)
  16. Colorado Avalanche – F Alex Newhook, Victoria (BCHL)
  17. Vegas Golden Knights – F Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (WHL)
  18. Dallas Stars – D Thomas Harley, Mississauga (OHL)
  19. Ottawa Senators (from CLB) – D Lassi Thomson, Kelowna (WHL)
  20. Winnipeg Jets – D Ville Heinola, Lukko (Liiga)
  21. Pittsburgh Penguins – F Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
  22. Los Angeles Kings (from TOR) – D Tobias Bjornfot, Djurgardens (SHL)
  23. New York Islanders – F Simon Holmstrom, HV71 (SuperElit)
  24. Nashville Predators – F Philip Tomasino, Niagara (OHL)
  25. Washington Capitals – F Connor McMichael, London (OHL)
  26. Calgary Flames – F Jakob Pelletier, Moncton (QMJHL)
  27. Tampa Bay Lightning – F Nolan Foote, Kelowna (WHL)
  28. Carolina Hurricanes – F Ryan Suzuki, Barrie (OHL)
  29. Anaheim Ducks (from SJS via BUF) – F Brayden Tracey, Moose Jaw (WHL)
  30. Boston Bruins – F John Beecher, USNTDP (USHL)
  31. Buffalo Sabres (from STL) – D Ryan Johnson, Sioux Falls (USHL)

Round 2

32. Ottawa Senators – F Shane Pinto, Tri-City (USHL)
33. Los Angeles Kings – F Arthur Kaliyev, Hamilton (OHL)
34. Philadelphia Flyers (from NJD via NSH) – F Bobby Brink, Sioux City (USHL)
*PHI acquires pick from NSH for Nos. 45 and 65
35. Detroit Red Wings – D Antti Tuomisto, Assat (Jr. Liiga)
36. Carolina Hurricanes (from BUF) – G Pyotr Kochetkov, St. Petersburg (VHL)
37. Ottawa Senators (from NYR via CAR) – G Mads Sogaard, Medicine Hat (WHL)
*OTT acquires pick from CAR for Nos. 44 and 83
38. Edmonton Oilers – F Raphael Lavoie, Halifax (QMJHL)
39. Anaheim Ducks – D Jackson LaCombe, Shattuck St. Mary’s (MN HS)
40. Vancouver Canucks – F Nils Hoglander, Rogle (SHL)
41. Vegas Golden Knights (from PHI via SJS) – D Kaedan Korczak, Kelowna (WHL)
*VGK acquires pick from SJS for Nos. 48 and 82
42. Minnesota Wild – F Vladislav Firstov, Waterloo (USHL)
43. Chicago Blackhawks – D Alex Vlasic, USNTDP (USHL)
44. Carolina Hurricanes (from FLA via SJS and OTT) – F Jamieson Rees, Sarnia (OHL)
45. Nashville Predators (from ARI via PHI) – F Egor Afanasyev, Muskegon (USHL)
46. Montreal Canadiens – D Jayden Struble, St. Sebastian’s (MA HS)
47. Colorado Avalanche – D Drew Helleson, USNTDP (USHL)
48. San Jose Sharks (via VGK) – F Artemi Knyazev, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
49. New York Rangers (from DAL) – D Matthew Robertson, Edmonton (WHL)
50. Los Angeles Kings (from CLB via VGK and MTL) – F Samuel Fagemo, Frolunda (SHL)
*LAK acquires pick from MTL for Nos. 64 and 126
51. Winnipeg Jets – D Simon Lundmark, Linkoping (SHL)
52. Florida Panthers (from PIT) – D Vladislav Kolyachonok, Flint (OHL)
53. Toronto Maple Leafs – F Nicholas Robertson, Peterborough (OHL)
54. Detroit Red Wings (from NYI via VGK) – F Robert Mastrosimone, Chicago (USHL)
55. San Jose Sharks (from NSH via NJD) – F Dillon Hamaliuk, Kelowna (WHL)
*SJS acquire pick from NJD for Nos. 82 and 91
56. Washington Capitals – F Brett Leason, Prince Albert (WHL)
57. New York Islanders (from CGY) – D Samuel Bolduc, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
58. New York Rangers (from TBL) – F Karl Henriksson, Frolunda (SHL)
59. Minnesota Wild (from CAR) – G Hunter Jones, Peterborough (OHL)
*MIN acquire pick from CAR for Nos. 73 and 91
60. Detroit Red Wings (from SJS) – D Albert Johansson, Farjestad (SuperElit)
61. New Jersey Devils (from BOS) – D Nikita Okhotyuk, Ottawa (OHL)
62. St. Louis Blues – F Nikita Alexandrov, Charlottetown (QMJHL)

Round Three

63. Colorado Avalanche (from OTT) – F Matthew Steinburg, St. Andrew’s (CAN HS)
64. Montreal Canadiens (from LAK) – D Mattias Norlinder, MODO (Allsvenskan)
65. Nashville Predators (from NJD via EDM and PHI) – F Alexander Campbell, Victoria (BCHL)
66. Detroit Red Wings – F Albin Grewe, Djurgardens (SHL)
67. Buffalo Sabres – G Erik Portillo, Frolunda (SuperElit)
68. New York Rangers – D Zachary Jones, Tri-City (USHL)
69. Florida Panthers – D John Ludvig, Portland (WHL)
70. New Jersey Devils (from ANA) – D Daniil Misyul, Yaroslavl (MHL)
71. Tampa Bay Lightning (from VAN) – G Hugo Alnefelt, HV71 (SuperElit)
72. Philadelphia Flyers – D Ronnie Attard, Tri-City (USHL)
73. Carolina Hurricanes (from MIN) – F Patrik Puistola, Tappara (Liiga)
74. Pittsburgh Penguins (from CHI via ARI) – F Nathan Legare, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
*PIT acquire pick from ARI for Nos. 98, 151, and 207
75. Minnesota Wild (from FLA via NSH) – F Adam Beckman, Spokane (WHL)
*MIN acquire pick from NSH for 2020 third-round pick
76. Arizona Coyotes – F John Farinacci, Dexter (MA HS)
77. Montreal Canadiens – D Gianni Fairbrother, Everett (WHL)
78. Colorado Avalanche – F Alex Beaucage, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
79. Vegas Golden Knights – F Pavel Dorofeyev, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
80. New Jersey Devils (from DAL) – F Graeme Clarke, Ottawa (OHL)
81. Florida Panthers (from CLB) – F Cole Schwindt, Mississauga (OHL)
*FLA acquire pick from CLB for Nos. 104 and 114
82. New Jersey Devils (from WPG via VGK and SJS) – D Michael Vukojevic, Kitchener (OHL)
83. Carolina Hurricanes (from PIT via VGK and OTT) – D Anttoni Honka, JYP (Liiga)
84. Toronto Maple Leafs – D Mikko Kokkonen, Jukurit (Liiga)
85. Edmonton Oilers (from NYI) – G Ilya Konovalov, Yaroslavl (KHL)
86. Vegas Golden Knights (from NSH) – D Layton Ahac, Prince George (BCHL)
87. Los Angeles Kings (from WAS) – G Lukas Parik, Liberec (Czech Jr.)
88. Calgary Flames – F Ilya Nikolayev, Yaroslavl (MHL)
89. Tampa Bay Lightning – F Maxim Cajkovic, Saint John (QMHJL)
90. Carolina Hurricanes – D Domenick Fensore, USNTDP (USHL)
91. Washington Capitals (from SJS via NJD) – F Alexei Protas, Prince Albert (WHL)
*WAS acquire pick from NJD for Nos. 118 and 129
92. Boston Bruins – F Quinn Olson, Okotoks (AJHL)
93. St. Louis Blues – G Colten Ellis, Rimouski (QMJHL)

Round Four

94. Ottawa Senators – D Viktor Lodin, Orebro (SHL)
95. Los Angeles Kings – D Jordan Spence, Moncton (QMJHL)
96. New Jersey Devils – F Tyce Thompson, Dubuque (USHL)
97. Detroit Red Wings – F Ethan Phillips, Sioux Falls (USHL)
98. Arizona Coyotes (from BUF via PIT) – F Matias Maccelli, Dubuque (USHL)
99. Carolina Hurricanes (from NYR via BOS and MIN) – D Cade Webber, Rivers (MA HS)
100. Edmonton Oilers – F Matej Blumel, Waterloo (USHL)
101. Anaheim Ducks – D Henry Thrun, USNTDP (USHL)
102. Buffalo Sabres (from VAN) – F Aaron Huglen, Roseau (MN HS)
*BUF acquire pick from VAN for Nos. 122 and 175
103. Philadelphia Flyers – D Mason Millman, Saginaw (OHL)
104. Florida Panthers (from MIN via ARI and PIT) – D Eric Hjorth, Linkoping (Allsvenskan)
105. Chicago Blackhawks – F Michal Teply, Liberec (Czech)
106. Florida Panthers – D Carter Berger, Victoria (BCHL)
107. Arizona Coyotes – F Alexander Darin, Yaroslavl (MHL)
108. San Jose Sharks – F Yegor Spiridonov, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
109. Nashville Predators (from COL) – D Marc Del Gaizo, UMass (NCAA)
110. Vegas Golden Knights – F Ryder Donovan, Duluth East (MN HS)
111. Dallas Stars – D Samuel Sjolund, AIK (Allsvenskan)
112. New York Rangers (from CBJ) – D Hunter Skinner, Lincoln (USHL)
113. Winnipeg Jets – F Henri Nikkanen, Jukurit (Liiga)
114. Columbus Blue Jackets (from PIT via FLA) – F Dmitri Voronkov, Kazan (MHL)
115. Toronto Maple Leafs – F Mikhail Abramov, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
116. Calgary Flames (from NYI) – Lucas Feuk, Sodertalje (SuperElit)
117. Nashville Predators – D Semyon Chistyakov, Ufa (MHL)
118. New Jersey Devils (from WAS) – D Case McCarthy, USNTDP (USHL)
119. Los Angeles Kings (from CGY via MTL) – D Kim Nousiainen, KalPa (Jr. Liiga)
120. Tampa Bay Lightning – D Max Crozier, Sioux Falls (USHL)
121. Carolina Hurricanes – F Tuukka Tieksola, Karpat (Jr. Liiga)
122. Vancouver Canucks (from SJS via BUF) – F Ethan Keppen, Flint (OHL)
123. Chicago Blackhawks (from BOS) – F Antti Saarela, Lukko (Jr. Liiga)
124. Toronto Maple Leafs (from STL) – F Nick Abruzzese, Chicago (USHL)

Round Five

125. Ottawa Senators – F Mark Kastelic, Calgary (WHL)
126. Montreal Canadiens (from LAK) – D Jacob LeGuerrier, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
127. New Jersey Devils – G Cole Brady, Janesville (NAHL)
128. Detroit Red Wings – D Cooper Moore, Brunswick (CT HS)
129. New Jersey Devils (from BUF via DET and WAS) – F Arseni Gritsyuk, Yastreby (MHL)
130. New York Rangers – F Leevi Aaltonen, KalPa (Jr. Liiga)
131. Montreal Canadiens (from EDM) – F Rhett Pitlick, Chaska (MN HS)
132. Anaheim Ducks – F Trevor Janicke, Central Illinois (USHL)
133. Vancouver Canucks – F Carson Focht, Calgary (WHL)
134. Winnipeg Jets (from PHI) – F Harrison Blaisdell, Chilliwack (BCHL)
135. Vegas Golden Knights (from MIN) – G Isaiah Saville, Tri-City (USHL)
136. Florida Panthers (from CHI via MTL) – F Henry Rybinski, Seattle (WHL)
137. Florida Panthers – F Owen Lindmark, USNTDP (USHL)
138. Montreal Canadiens (from ARI via CHI and LAK) – G Frederik Dichow, Vojens (Denmark)
139. Vegas Golden Knights (from MTL) – F Marcus Kallionkieli, Sioux City (USHL)
140. Colorado Avalanche – F Sasha Mutala, Tri-City (WHL)
141. Vegas Golden Knights – F Mason Primeau, Guelph (OHL)
142. Dallas Stars – F Nicholas Porco, Saginaw (OHL)
143. Buffalo Sabres (from CLB via DET) – F Filip Cederqvist, Vaxjo (SHL)
*BUF acquire pick from DET for Nos. 177 and 191
144. Winnipeg Jets – G Logan Neaton, Prince George (BCHL)
145. Pittsburgh Penguins – F Judd Caulfield, USNTDP (USHL)
146. Toronto Maple Leafs – D Mike Koster, Chaska (MN HS)
147. New York Islanders – F Reece Newkirk, Portland (WHL)
148. Nashville Predators – G Ethan Haider, Minnesota (NAHL)
149. Minnesota Wild (from WAS via MTL) – F Matvei Guskov, London (OHL)
150. Calgary Flames – F Josh Nodler, Fargo (USHL)
151. Arizona Coyotes (from TBL via CHI and PIT) – F Aku Raty, Karpat (Jr. Liiga)
152. Carolina Hurricanes – F Kirill Slepets, Yaroslavl (MHL)
153. San Jose Sharks – D Martin Hugo Has, Tappara (Jr. Liiga)
154. Boston Bruins – D Roman Bychkov, Yaroslavl (MHL)
155. St. Louis Blues – F Keean Washkurak, Mississauga (OHL)

Round Six

156. Vancouver Canucks (from OTT) – G Arturs Silovs, Riga (MHL)
157. Los Angeles Kings – D Braden Doyle, Lawrence Academy (MA HS)
158. New Jersey Devils – F Patrick Moynihan, USNTDP (USHL)
159. Detroit Red Wings – F Elmer Soderblom, Frolunda (SuperElit)
160. Buffalo Sabres – F Lukas Rousek, Praha (Czech)
161. New York Rangers – F Adam Edstrom, Mora (SuperElit)
162. Edmonton Oilers – F Tomas Mazura, Kimball Union (MA HS)
163. Anaheim Ducks – D William Francis, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
164. San Jose Sharks (from VAN) – F Timur Ibragimov, St. Petersburg (MHL)
165. Philadelphia Flyers – F Yegor Serdyuk, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
166. Minnesota Wild – D Marshall Warren, USNTDP (USHL)
167. Chicago Blackhawks – G Dominic Basse, Selects (USPHL)
168. Florida Panthers – F Greg Meireles, Kitchener (OHL)
169. Philadelphia Flyers (from ARI) – D Roddy Ross, Seattle (WHL)
170. Montreal Canadiens – F Arsen Khisamutdinov, Nizhnekamsk (MHL)
171. Colorado Avalanche – F Luka Burzan, Brandon (WHL)
172. Minnesota Wild (from VGK) – F Nikita Nesterenko, Lawrenceville (NJ HS)
173. Dallas Stars – D Ben Brinkman, Minnesota (NCAA)
174. Arizona Coyotes (from CLB) – F Danil Savunov, Penza (VHL)
175. Vancouver Canucks (from WPG via BUF) – F Karel Plasek, Brno (Czech)
176. Arizona Coyotes (from PIT) – F Anthony Romano, Sioux Falls (USHL)
177. Detroit Red Wings (from TOR via BUF) – D Gustav Berglund, Frolunda (Allsvenskan)
178. New York Islanders – F Felix Bibeau, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
179. Nashville Predators – F Isak Walther, Sodertalje (Allsvenskan)
180. Vancouver Canucks (from WAS) – F John Malone, Youngstown (USHL)
181. Carolina Hurricanes (from CGY) – F Kevin Wall, Chilliwack (BCHL)
182. Tampa Bay Lightning – D Quinn Schmiemann, Kamloops (WHL)
183. Carolina Hurricanes – F Blake Murray, Sudbury (OHL)
184. San Jose Sharks – D Santeri Hatakka, Jokerit (Jr. Liiga)
185. Boston Bruins – F Matias Mantykivi, SaiPa (Jr. Liiga)
186. Anaheim Ducks (from STL) – D Matthew Hill, Barrie (OHL)

Round Seven

187. Ottawa Senators – D Maxence Guenette, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)
188. Los Angeles Kings – F Andre Lee, Sioux Falls (USHL)
189. New Jersey Devils – F Nikola Pasic, Linkoping (SuperElit)
190. Detroit Red Wings – F Kirill Tyutyayev, Yekatirinburg (MHL)
191.  Detroit Red Wings (from BUF) – G Carter Gylander, Sherwood Park (AJHL)
192. Boston Bruins (from NYR) – F Jake Schmaltz, Chicago (USHL)
193. Edmonton Oilers – F Maxim Denezhkin, Yaroslavl (MHL)
194. Chicago Blackhawks (from ANA) – D Cole Moberg, Prince George (WHL)
195. Vancouver Canucks – F Aidan McDonough, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
196. Philadelphia Flyers – F Bryce Brodzinski, Blaine (MN HS)
197. Minnesota Wild – G Filip Lindberg, UMass (NCAA)
198. Tampa Bay Lightning (from CHI) – F Mikhail Shalagin, Moscow (MHL)
199. Florida Panthers – F Matthew Wedman, Seattle (WHL)
200. Arizona Coyotes – D Axel Bergqvist, Leksands (Allsvenskan)
201. Montreal Canadiens (from PHI via MTL) – F Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
*MTL acquires pick from PHI for 2020 seventh-round pick
202. Colorado Avalanche – G Trent Miner, Vancouver (WHL)
203. Pittsburgh Penguins (from VGK) – F Valtteri Puustinen, HPK (Liiga)
204. Toronto Maple Leafs (from DAL) – D Kalle Loponen, Hermes (Mestis)
205. New York Rangers (from CLB) – F Eric Ciccolini, Toronto (OJHL)
206. Montreal Canadiens (from WPG) – D Kieran Ruscheinski, Calgary (AMHL)
207. Arizona Coyotes (from PIT) – F Valentin Nussbaumer, Shawnigan (QMJHL)
208. Toronto Maple Leafs – G Vadim Zherenko, Moscow (MHL)
209. New York Islanders – F Cole Coskey, Saginaw (OHL)
210. Nashville Predators – F Juuso Parssinen, TPS (Jr. Liiga)
211. Pittsburgh Penguins (from WAS via SJS) – D Santeri Airola, SaiPa (Jr. Liiga)
* PIT acquire pick from SJS for 2020 seventh-round pick
212. Columbus Blue Jackets (from CGY via OTT) – F Tyler Angle, Windsor (OHL)
213. Tampa Bay Lightning – F McKade Webster, Green Bay (USHL)
214. Calgary Flames (from CAR) – G Dustin Wolf, Everett (WHL)
215. Vancouver Canucks (from SJS) – F Arvid Costmar, Linkoping (SuperElit)
216. Carolina Hurricanes (from BOS via NYR) – F Massimo Rizzo, Penticton (BCHL)
217. St. Louis Blues – F Jeremy Michel, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)

Morning Notes: Barrie, Subban, Penguins

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For all the anticipation that the NHL Entry Draft creates, fans were left somewhat disappointed last night when not a single player was traded. All the viewers got from the floor in Vancouver was the Arizona Coyotes moving up three spots and the Philadelphia Flyers adding a second-round pick. The kind of movement that had been hinted at all day never materialized, perhaps thanks to the still-not-finalized cap ceiling. The league is expected to release the final number today, hopefully kicking the market into gear.

Nevertheless, here are some notes from last night’s show:

  • The player most rumored to be on the move yesterday may have been Tyson Barrie, who was linked several times to the Vancouver Canucks. The offensive defenseman’s name came up even more when the Colorado Avalanche selected Bowen Byram fourth overall, but GM Joe Sakic wants everyone to calm down. Sakic told A.J. Haefele of BSN Denver that there is no truth to the idea that Barrie is already traded, and Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now that the rumors are “news to him.” Even with the apparent denials, Barrie’s name will continue to float around in trade speculation until he has a new deal with the Avalanche or is moved. The 27-year old is entering the final year of his current contract and carries a $5.5MM cap hit.
  • Another defenseman drawing plenty of speculation is Nashville Predators star P.K. Subban who is apparently on the market as the team tries to clear cap space. Subban has three years remaining at a huge $9MM cap hit, but Darren Dreger of TSN suggested that the Predators may be willing to retain up to $3MM of that. If that’s true, there will likely be teams lined up to take on the Norris-winning defenseman.
  • After a disappointing season from the Pittsburgh Penguins and some frustrated comments from GM Jim Rutherford, some expected the team to make a huge move and send one of their superstar talents packing this summer. While the team did try to move Phil Kessel to the Minnesota Wild, they won’t be dangling Evgeni Malkin or Kris Letang. Rutherford spoke to Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and told him it’s “highly unlikely” that either one is moved and that there was never an intention to have a ton of roster turnover in Pittsburgh.

Colorado Avalanche Select Bowen Byram Fourth Overall

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After Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko went first and second respectively, as many anticipated, the Chicago Blackhawks made the first surprise pick of the draft with WHL center Kirby Dach. That left Bowen Byram, the top defenseman in the class and considered by many to be the third-best prospect as well, on the board for the Colorado Avalanche. Joe Sakic and company jumped on the opportunity, selecting Byram and further strengthening an elite young defense corps.

Byram is the consensus top defenseman in this draft class, and by a wide margin. Byram wasn’t just one of the best defensemen in junior hockey, he was one of the best players overall. The centerpiece of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, Byram established himself as one of the most offensively gifted defensive prospects in recent memory. In 71 games, Byram totaled 26 goals and 71 points in 67 games. He then added 26 more points in 22 playoff games, becoming the first defenseman to ever lead the WHL in postseason scoring.

While Byram still has room to grow defensively, he is certainly a competent defensive player and sees the ice extremely well for a blue liner his age. Byram also possess more than enough skating ability to move the puck out of danger and can find space in all three zones. Byram is truly a high-end puck-mover with great offensive instincts and a powerful shot that he can use to create chances all by himself. Byram should push for an NHL role right away, but it also wouldn’t hurt for him to spend some more time at the junior level. With just a little time and patience, Byram could easily become a top-pair defenseman, power play quarterback, and one of the highest scorers at his position in the NHL. The same could be said for fellow Avs prospect Cale Makar, who could wind up on a dominant pair with Byram sooner rather than later. With Conor Timmins and Samuel Girard also in the fold in Denver, the Avalance blue line has a bright future.

Latest On Tyson Barrie

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It seemed relatively surprising when a report surfaced that Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie was “in play” this weekend, but his name has now popped up in a couple of other locations as well. Darren Dreger of TSN tweeted last night that “Barrie trade consideration seems to have amplified” and listed Carl Soderberg as another player whose name had come up. Dreger was then on WGR550 in Buffalo this morning and connected both the Vancouver Canucks and Arizona Coyotes to the defenseman. Then, Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now tweeted that he’d heard “chatter” about the Canucks offering Jake Virtanen and a 2020 first-round pick for Barrie, though obviously nothing has been confirmed yet.

Barrie, 27, is coming off an outstanding offensive season with the Avalanche in which he recorded 59 points in 78 games, but has just a single year left on his current contract and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Add that to the potential emergence of Cale Makar on the right side and the powerplay for the Avalanche and the team seems to be at least listening on their top defenseman.

Still, this chatter doesn’t mean that the team is set on moving Barrie. He is after all an extremely important part of the team and GM Joe Sakic has fought strongly in favor of him in the past. Barrie signed a four-year, $22MM deal with the Avalanche in 2016 and carries a $5.5MM cap hit for this season.

Snapshots: Barrie, Spurgeon, Senators

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The Colorado Avalanche are in the enviable position of having two first-round picks this year despite making the playoffs, and one of those selections is fourth overall. The team very well could be adding top defensive prospect Bowen Byram with that spot, giving them quite the young core on the blue line along with Samuel Girard and Cale Makar. That inevitably would lead to some speculating that the Avalanche will be looking to trade another defenseman, and A.J. Haefele of BSN Denver today tweeted that he believes Tyson Barrie is “in play.”

Haefele doesn’t mention the Byram connection, and perhaps that has nothing to do with it given Barrie plays the right side. With Erik Johnson already entrenched as a leader on the team and signed long-term, Barrie might be the one to go in order to give Makar more minutes on that side and the powerplay. The 27-year old Barrie had another excellent offensive season, recording 14 goals and 59 points in 78 games.

  • The Minnesota Wild have made sweeping changes to the core of their team since GM Paul Fenton took over, but one name they’re looking to keep is Jared Spurgeon. Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Fenton and agent Eustace King met yesterday to begin talks on an extension, given the defenseman has just a single year remaining on his contract. Spurgeon is one of the game’s premiere two-way defensemen, recording solid offensive numbers while being a reliable shutdown option in his own end. Coming off a career-high 43 points any extension will be an expensive one, and likely include a substantial raise over the $5.19MM cap hit he currently carries.
  • Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that the Ottawa Senators have issued qualifying offers to Cody Ceci, Christian Wolanin, Nick Paul, Colin White and Jack Rodewald, though all were expected. Ceci is still just 25 years old despite having played six seasons in the league, and is one of the more interesting players to watch on the Senators roster. He is a restricted free agent but could potentially settle for a one-year contract through arbitration and walk right into unrestricted free agency next season. His qualifying offer is $4.3MM, already a hefty contract for the Senators to swallow.

Senators Notes: No. 19 Pick, Paajarvi, Hogberg

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Perhaps excited by the extension of Anthony Duclair and the additional second-round pick added by the Erik Karlsson contract, both occurring earlier today, Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion was very positive and open when speaking with the media today. Per The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch, Dorion began by discussing the team’s plans for the upcoming NHL Draft. The Senators will travel to Vancouver tomorrow to begin meetings ahead of the round one of the draft on Friday night, but Dorion has already had many conversations with rival GM’s. Dorion states that he has already spoken with multiple teams about possibly moving up in the first round from No. 19. The Senators are without their own first-rounder, owed to the Colorado Avalanche from last year’s Matt Duchene trade, but the team was fortunately able to recoup a top pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in their own sale of Duchene. With that said, No. 19 is not exactly where a rebuilding team would like their first pick to be, even though Ottawa already has a deep, talented pipeline. Following the Karlsson news, CapFriendly reports that the Senators now have 28 picks in the next three drafts, including 16 in the top three rounds. That is plenty of ammunition if Dorion decides that he wants to move up the board on Friday. Teams like the Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks have hinted at their willingness to move back, while the Colorado Avalanche may also be open to moving their second pick in the round, No. 16. If Dorion is intent on moving up, he should be able to find a taker.

  • Dorion also made the somewhat surprising reveal that the Senators are not pursuing a contract extension with free agent forward Magnus Paajarvi. Paajarvi, 28, has spent the past season and half with Ottawa after coming over from the St. Louis Blues on waivers in 2017-18. Although the 2009 tenth overall pick has never been able to live up to his draft stock nor his rookie year production, Paajarvi has grown into a solid two-way player and enjoyed the best season since his first in Ottawa this past year. Paajarvi seemed like a safe bet to stay with the Senators, especially given his key role on the penalty kill, but Dorion has other plans. He did say that talks continue with fellow UFA’s Oscar Lindberg and Brian Gibbons, both of whom performed well after deadline trades, as well as RFA defenseman Cody Ceci. As for Paajarvi, he’ll likely land on his feet elsewhere in the league once free agency opens.
  • Finally, Dorion announced that a contract resolution with RFA goaltender Marcus Hogberg is imminent. Hogberg is expected to sign with the team this week after rumors emerged early this off-season that he was considering a move to Europe. It remains possible that Hogberg could still be loaned elsewhere, as his signing only adds to a logjam of keepers in both Ottawa and AHL Belleville. The Senators expect to enter next season with a tandem of veteran Craig Anderson and returnee Anders Nilsson. As of now, Mike Condon will also be in the mix. In the minors, the team hopes to give top goalie prospect Filip Gustavsson, college standout Joey Daccord, and now Hogberg the time in net they need to develop properly. If that is going to be impossible, even with a likely Condon departure, Hogberg is the top candidate to be loaned away, despite his advantage in pro experience.

Central Notes: Binnington, Zuccarello, Avalanche

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The St. Louis Blues have spent the afternoon celebrating at their downtown parade, but soon will have to deal with eight unrestricted free agents and another 12 restricted free agents. While there are few major deals the team must negotiate, there is one unique case in Jordan Binnington, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

In fact, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun (subscription required) writes that it’s quite a unique case. The 25-year-old walked onto the scene midway through the season and immediately became a sensation, putting up 1.89 GAA and a .927 save percentage in 32 regular season games and then led the Blues to the Stanley Cup with a 2.46 GAA and a .914 save percentage. All this while making $650K last season, while his backup, Jake Allen, makes $4.35MM.

However, with a half-year of experience, how much does he deserve to get? He has only two years before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, so term is critical as a short-term deal could cause even more problems. However, if he can’t repeat his amazing season, the team could be stuck with him if they sign him to an expensive long-term deal.

  • On his 31 Thoughts article, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes that there is mutual interest between the Dallas Stars and winger Mats Zuccarello to get a deal done. Dallas acquired Zuccarello at the trade deadline for a 2019 second-round pick and a 2020 conditional third-round pick, which would turn into a first-round pick if Dallas signs the 31-year-old to a new deal. Zuccarello only played two regular-season games after suffering an arm injury after one game, but was an integral piece to the team’s playoff run, when he tallied four goals and 11 points in 13 games. Friedman writes that the negotiations are taking its time, but there is a good chance that Dallas ends up keeping Zuccarello who made quite a difference to the team’s second line.
  • The Colorado Avalanche aren’t expected to retain unrestricted goaltender Semyon Varlamov this offseason as the team intends to annoit Philipp Grubauer as the team’s No. 1 starter next season. However, the Denver Post’s Mike Chambers writes the team might choose to sign a veteran backup, even though they have AHL all-star, Pavel Francouz, signed to a one-year, $950K guaranteed deal. Due to his lack of NHL experience (two games), Chambers writes it wouldn’t be surprising if the team goes after veteran Curtis McElhinney or former No. 2 Calvin Pickard for next year.
  • Sticking with the Avalanche, A.J. Haefele of BSN Denver reports that the Avalanche will not be buying out anyone this week. That’s not a big surprise, considering the team has few long-term deals with few veteran players making too much money. The team also has $37MM in cap room to work with even though they have to sign several key restricted free agents, including forward Mikko Rantanen, J.T. Compher and Alexander Kerfoot.

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